Fire-extinguishing composition having a low freezing-point.



' No Drawing.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrron.

GEORGE E. FERGUSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO PYRENE MANUFACTURING COMPANY. A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

FIRE-EXTINGUISHING OMPOSITION HAVING A LOW FREEZING-POINT.

ing point of the basic element of the com pound. Carbon tetrachlorid has been se lected as illustrative of the basic element Which, being a solvent for many other compounds, is useful for many purposes, among which carbon tetrachlorid may be mentioned,

carbon tetra chlorid being non-inflammable. The extensive uses to which carbon tetra-' chlorid is put, make it desirable to lower its normal freezing point (which in the chemically pure state is -19.5 C.) to permit its use in temperatures where extreme cold Weather prevails; that it may be utilized as a liquid and at the same time maintain all of its useful properties.

With this in mind, I have performeda large number of experiments to ascertain if some underlying principle can be made to govern this depression of the freezing point. It is a well known fact that, considering inorganic compounds and the inorganic solvents, that the depression of the freezing point depends upon the solubility of the salts used and the degree of dissociation which takes place When these salts are dissolved in the solvent (Which solvent in most cases, is water). i

The lawsgoverning the depression of the freezing point for electrolytes are simple:

1. The freezing point of a solution is lower than that of the pure solvent.

2. The depression of the freezing point is proportional to the concentration of the solution.

3. If t degrees be the depression produced by the presence of p grams of sub- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 25, 1918.

Application ma 0ctober'20,1914. Seria1No. 867,587.

stance in 100 grams of the solvent, then the molecular depression p where m is the molecular weight of the dissolved substance).

These laws do not hold good in the depression of the freezing point of the carbon tetrachlorid. A good example of this is in the solution of a compound like azo benzene (C H Nfi H which is very soluble in carbon tetrachlorid. lVhen this substance is added the result is a higher freezing point than that of the carbon tetrachlorid alone,

and the more azo compound dissolved the higher freezing point.

When a number of such experiments were tried and no prlnciple could be established,

it was decided to try out all the commonchilly possible substances which could be dissolved in carbon tetrachlorid, to ascertain which would depress the freezing point. It was found that amongthe great variety of compounds tried out about 150 accomplished the desired result.

It is understood that some of these compounds would prove detrimental to the use of carbon tetrachlorid under certain conditions while they might prove very acceptable under others.

To simplify the list, it was thought best to classify these substances under different chemical groups, such as, l) esters and others; (2) aniins and amino compounds; (3) aldehydesandketones; (4:) alcohols; (5) oils; (6) hydrocarbons, substitutes and derivatives; (7) phenols and phenol derivatives; (8) terpenes, camphors and (9) acids, etc.

About the only generality which can be made in regard to all this investigation is the fact that most compounds which are in the liquid state at normal (room) temperatures and which are soluble in carbon tetrachlorid lower the freezingv point of the carbon tetrachlorid, and vice versa, most of the peratures and soluble in carbon tetrachlorid do not lower the freezing point but in: most cases raise it. There are, however, enough exceptions to this generality to render it to determine the quantity of substance dissolved in a known amount of solvent to'produce an observed depression of the freezing point. It was thought that sufiicient kndwledge was gained in determining just what compounds would accomplish the desired.

depressing .efl'ect on the freezing point.

Considering the group of acids, the following may be taken. as a definition:

B the term organic acid is meant the oxidiition product of'aldehydes and ketones. An organioacid', generally speaking, has the property of acting on organic bases (alcohols to form esters.

Tne following may be taken as examples of this group:

Chloracetic acid, oion ooon; m-6. cardlc acid, C H COOH; oleic acid, CH (CHQ CHCHCILCOOH; propionic acid,

-CH CH COO'H; acetic acid, CH,,COOH.,

It is obvious that it is impossible to cover every compound, in the manner described, to ascertaln if the freezingpoint of carbon Ward the reduction of the cost of a number of the expensive compoundsthus rendering the same c0mmercially possible is' p I problematical but my experiments and tests impossible of general application as a rule.

In this investigation no attempt was made showthat it is possible to generalize in these diflferent classes or divisions.

Four hundred and thirty experiments were performed, the substances selected be ing taken from the chemical catalogues. All of the organic substances costing one dollar or less per ounce were triedas it was considered that these 1 compounds, from the standpoint of cost, would be commercially possible. It was found that a great many of these compounds were insoluble in carbon tetrachlorid and therefore eliminated themselves from the investigation. What I claim is:

1. A fire extinguishing solution having a low freezing point comprising a carbon and chlorin compound and an organic acid dissolved therein. i

2. A fire extinguishing solution having a low freezing point comprising carbon tetrachlorid and an organic aciddiss'olved therein.

3. A solution having a low freezing point comprising carbon tetrachlorid and propionic acid dissolved therein.

Signed at the city, county, and tate of tetrachlorid could be lowered by dissolving New York, this 8th day of October, 1914;.

the compound therein. I have, however,

made tests in each class of compounds with commercially possible examples in each class.

What future developments may be made to- GEORGE E. FERGUSON; Witnesses:

HAROLD W. CHAPMAN, LEWIS J. Doonrr'rnn. 

